Grath of Galestradom Mountain
by CidDiyoko
Summary: Grath Blackclaw no relation wanders down from the Northlands to Mossflower. He finds out about an evil pine marten taking over an island as his own kingdom. Grath must travel there and get rid of the vermin and liberate the island's rightful owners.
1. Introductions

The sun shined brilliantly in the midday sky as an adult male otter trekked through a swampy glade. The otter sloshed with each step cautiously with a medium-sized dirk in his paw, his instincts told him he was being watched in the tall reeds at the other side of the clearing. Suddenly without warning, a huge adder leaps out of reeds and like lightning the otter dodged the serpent's attack; the otter rushed over his deadly foe and stabbed the serpent in a single quick downward thrust to the serpent's head, killing the adder instantly.

The otter was named, Grath Zann Blackclaw, he was the son of a great chieftain, Bresbard Blackclaw. His mother had died from a terrible unknown illness when Grath was just a young dibbun, which is what they called their little ones. His father raised him and led a great colony of otters that called themselves the Swiftrudder Crew.

Grath was taller than most otters in the group. He had beautifully tattooed designs of two red dots with a blue bar in between and a lightning bolt of his chieftain office that were lightly wearing away from around his mussel and face. He wore a leather necklace with a medium-sized, green, round stone worn around his neck over a forest green tunic with a belt across his chest and waist. On his chest belt, a dirk is held by leather straps. The beautifully crafted weapon had a shiny, steel blade with a silver hilt with markings of an old otter tongue, not used any more by otters. The handle of the dirk was bound with a dark-skinned leather binding and a forest green stone sat in the pommel.

They lived in a mountain in the Northlands, which they dubbed as Galestradom Mountain. The Mountain is a huge fortress that is made out of the mountain, like Salamandestron. Grath's ancestors settled it before the abbey of Redwall was probably built, but there are not any records to be sure. The caves and mazes are used to confuse the inhabitants' enemies and the location is a closely guarded secret, only known by otters that live there and only recently do the dwellers of Redwall Abbey know of its existence. The mountain looks like an ordinary one because of clever techniques in camouflage of the entrances and windows of the fortress. Inside there is a huge dining hall with stained glass windows depicting the mountain's past. It contains lots of rooms with magnificent views of the Northland landscape for welcomed guests. A somewhat large blacksmithing area is located underneath the mountain with a large armory of weapons to spare.

When Grath became old enough to wield a blade, his father and the rest of the crew taught him the skills that would be useful in his life from knife throwing to living off the wilderness. Grath was happy living in this crew of relatives and friends, but his curiosity to explore beyond the Northlands grew as the seasons progressed by. Grath makes pleas to his father of his calling to wonder the southern lands beyond the snow line to meet other beasts other than his own, but his father refused to let him go. Grath was the only thing that his father truely cared the most about ever since the loss of his wife. Then a vermin raid broke out and there were many casualities on both sides. Among them was Grath's father. While his father laid on his death bed, he finally grants Grath to let him wander the lands where he pleases and hands him the dirk as a symbol of turning over the leadership over to his son. Then after a few moments his father takes his last breath and expires.

A large tropical island located about a days journey southwest from Sampetra Isle is called Daphia Isle. A fortress was built on it and was dubbed Fort Grogmort by vermin who made their home here after overthrowing the former ruler. The fort was ancient and in decay. The leader of this horde of vermin was a tall pine martin who took to the throne and claimed himself emperor. The pine martin went by the name of Emperor Drig Fangtone or by locals he is known as, "Evil Eyes", for his dark green piercing eyes that seem to cause many animals to bend to his will and read their thoughts or go straight to the beast's bone, causing terror in his wake. He wore a small golden crown worn above his brow with a few emeralds and rubies scattered around the center, a cape of purple silk covering a tan belt with a sheath contained a long, shining scimitar, it had a steel blade and hilt with a leather handle. With the survivors of the take over, they are put to work under the Emperor's evil rule. As the hordes grew, Evil Eyes chose the best course of action. He let the hordes do what they wished in their own little sections of the isle.

After killing the deadly serpent, Grath weeds through the reeds and walks out of the swampy glade. He finds a spot to rest at the base of a tall, old oak tree. He gathers some tinder; using flint against a steel knife, Grath creates a small fire. He opens his pack, takes out a tiny oyster shell, and takes out a kettle of soup that was prepared earlier that day. After eating, Grath leans back against a tree for a rest and slowly falls into a light sleep.


	2. Meeting in the River Moss

Grath is awakened by a poke of a sharp spear to his chest. He opened his eyes and saw that odd-looking beasts that are a head shorter than a mouse had surrounded him. Never in his life have he seen such beasts. One of them said in a gruff voice, "Hm, the otter is alive." Grath spoke without thinking, "Well, of course I am alive and who might ye be?" The beast said back to him, " Who we are you say? I am Log-a-Log and others are Guosim,"

"Guosim, what's that?"

"Ah, you mean you never heard of us? Guosim stands for Guerrilla Union of Shrews in Mossflower." Grath sat there against the tree, starting to understand and nodded his head slowly. He then said to Log-a-Log, while looking at the others surrounding him, "So umm..what is with the spears, mates?"

"We Guosim don't trust every beast we meet out here, otter."

"Well, that's one thing we have in common."

"By the way, were you the one that slayed that adder back there?"

"Aye, that I am."

"Hm, well that's a feat us shrews haven't taken on yet."

Grath got to his feet slowly and followed Log-a-Log and the Guosim to the swamp then trekked upstream. While they walked Grath said to Log-a-Log, "By the way, otter is not my name. Its Grath." The shrew chief glances back at Grath then looks back forward, "Oh and where be your hole in the ground 'Grath'?"

"Galestradom Mountain, up in the Northlands, just north from the Crowe Pine Grove. Have you heard of it?"

"No, not of this here mountain you claim, but I know about the grove. There are some of the meanest birds that live there."

"Aye, that they be."

"A bit of a long ways you are from there."

"Aye, I guess so. I wanted to explore these lands."

"Oh, bored of your own region up north, aye?"

"Aye, I was."

"Well then you will be wanting to visit the abbey."

"What abbey?"

"Don't tell me you haven't ever heard of it."

"No sadly I don't."

"Ohh you are missin' out then, Grath of Galestradom. They have most tasty food you can ever eat and that's not all either. The abbey itself is a jewel in its own right."

Grath placed his paw on his chin and thought about this then said, "Hmm..I wouldn't mind stopping there. What kinds of beasts live there?" Another shrew spoke up, "Well uh all kinds, mouses, hares, moles...maybe even some otters. Beasts of all kinds pass by there." Grath looked even more interested, wanting to see what other beasts in this region had for customs or what they did for fun, "Well, where is this place?" Then Log-a-Log said, "It would be only a little ways by boats." The otter then said back in response, "Sounds great. When can we go?" Log-a-Log smirks and looks over his shoulder at Grath, "After you meet the misses and have some fine cookin'" Grath wondered if this would be a good or bad thing.

Soon after, they arrived at the Guosim settlement and Grath sees a huge raft with other smaller watercraft around it and other shrews were out on the flat plain ground having the times of their lives. There were two that were arguing over something, but Grath didn't pay much attention to it as he followed the shrew chief to the house on the raft. Grath steps aboard and is invited inside. He ducked his head as he entered and sat down where he could at a table. Log-a-Log came back a moment later with another shrew and said, "This be me my mate, Shellia. She be the best cook in these waters." The shrew maiden blushed mildly and swatted Log-a-Log with her wooden spoon, "Oh stop it you old toad." Then she asked Grath in a mild tone, "Are you hungry, sir?" Grath sat there and tried to act polite, "Umm..aye." The maiden nodded then went away and yelled at the cooks to get underway in preparing some food for Grath. Log-a-Log poured out some Shrew Beer into a mug and slid it over to Grath, "So Grath, what do you think?" Grath was puzzled at what he meant and said referring to the atmosphere, "Well, umm its all nice I am sure. Feels just like home." The shrew chief has a proud chuckle and patted the otter's back, "That it is, mate. That it is," then took another mug and gulps down a mouth full of Shrew Beer.


	3. A Warrior's Dream

Writer's notes: Sorry, for the long wait. I was busy with other things, college mostly. Now onto the 3rd Chapter.

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At first light in the morning, they set out for their trip to Redwall. Grath helped by carrying some sacks filled with rations aboard one of the larger raft boats. Log-Log sat on a three-legged stool, smoking a tobacco pipe. He watched and commented on his crew's work, "Come on now, hurry up. We are going to be here for ages." The otter stopped and was about to say something about Log-a-Log's comments, but he is stopped short by a look on another shrews face, "I wouldn't try it, otter. It be a bad time." Grath swallowed his pride, looking back at Log-Log and got back to work. By breakfast time, the three raftboats had been loaded. Log-a-Log and the crew had a satisfied meal of shrew pie and shrew ale then got board their raftboats, saying farewell to their relatives that will be staying behind for this venture. They shove off, using their wooden poles as they maneuver through the mossy glade to deeper water.

Awhile later down stream, Grath let out a yawn as he manned the tiller of the larger raftboat. Log-a-Log looked over at the otter while sitting on his stool and said, "Grath, you tired? I will let one of me shrews to take over for ye." Grath didn't notice it, but he did feel kind of sleepy. The otter nods to Log-a-Log and got up from his position at the tiller and is replaced by a shrew. Grath looked around the raft for a place to rest and chose to lay down on a bunch of ropes that laid on at mid-deck. Sleep came unnaturally quickly to the otter as he lay asleep on the ropes. As he dreamt, he had found himself on the raft alone with a light mist. He looked around then spotted a mouse sitting in Log-a-Log's chair, carving a piece of wood. Grath came to the assumption that the mouse was a warrior because of the armor being worn. The otter walked forward, calling out to the mouse, "Ahoy there, where be the crew?" The mouse continued to whittle on the piece of wood. Grath became more direct and said, "Hey, I am talkin' to ye mouse. Where be the crew?" The mouse stopped whittling and looked up at Grath with a calm smile and spoke in a likewise voice, "You are the warrior from the North. I am in need of one such as you." The otter looked to the mouse with a chuckle, "This can't be real. You be only a dream." The mouse looked down and goes back to his wood carving as he continued, ignoring the otter's comment, "When you reach my abbey, I ask you to take my blade then defeat a great evil that will come to pass." Grath raised an eyebrow, "I be no such warrior. I be only an explorer…and what this be about a 'great evil'?"

"A pine marten conqueror that has seized great lands to the west has now set his sights on this land."

"A pine marten conqueror eh? Why should I get into this conflict?"

"After completing this task, you shall be honored by those of this region with respect."

"I am in no need of this. Let me be mouse," Grath spoke back to the mouse with disgust.

The mouse finished his carving which looked to be of a detailed representation of a sword and offers it to the otter, "Here, take this as a token from me." Grath took the carving in his hand then the mouse stood up, "What I ask is that you become our defender of the North, but first you must ask about me when you reach my abbey. I be known and called Martin the Warrior. Those that dwell inside my abbey will understand for this is not the first time." With that said the mouse walked towards the edge of the raftboat, starting to dissipate into the mist then vanished completely.


End file.
